ANN ARBOR – Merit Network Inc. has completed Phase I of its fiber network expansion in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, connecting Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, and Lake Superior State University ? marking the first time networking services have been delivered in the U.P. through diverse paths at gigabit speeds.
In partnership with Peninsula Fiber Network LLC and Borderland Communications, Merit was able to connect the three public universities and the rest of the U.P. network to Merit’s backbone network using fiber and leased circuits with diverse path gigabit connections.
The completed upgrades in combination with diverse gigabit connections to Chicago and the lower peninsula have doubled the amount of available bandwidth into the U.P.
All of this is part of Merit’s strategic effort to connect its governing Members, Michigan’s public universities, by dual path fiber connections at gigabit speeds. With the completion of the fiber connection to Lake Superior State University, every governing Member now has a minimum of one gigabit connection to Merit’s backbone network.
Networking Services in the Upper Peninsula has been a major concern for Merit Network, said Bob Stovall, Merit Network’s Network Operations Manager.
“We still have work to do,” Stovall said, “but these are major milestones in reaching our goal of maximum network flexibility for services to our community.”
Merit Network, a non-profit corporation governed by Michigan’s public universities, owns and operates America’s longest-running regional research and education network. Founded in 1966, Merit supports the high-performance networking needs of Michigan’s universities, colleges, K-12 schools, libraries, state government, healthcare, and other non-profit organizations.
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